When growing a garden it's important to attract pollinators (i.e. bees, butterflies, hummingbirds) which are essential to growing plants. It's also important to give them a place to drink water!

Honor pollinators by planting, learning, raising awareness, and promoting protection for them this third week of June

Tips for a Great Pollinator Garden

• - Use native plants: they’re better adapted to local pollinators.
  
  
• - Stagger bloom times to ensure flowers from early spring to late fall.
  
  
• Avoid pesticides, especially during bloom times.
  
  
• Provide habitat: leave some bare soil, add bee houses, and water sources.
  
  
• Plant in clumps: masses of the same flower type are easier for pollinators to spot.
  
  

Always prune lilacs after they are finished blooming, never before, for best blooms next year.

Painted Lady butterfly is shown in photo above.

Butterflies are vital to the environment because they help pollinate plants, support biodiversity, and serve as important indicators of a healthy ecosystem.

Betty Fort Alpine Gardens in Vail are a national AND local treasure

Protecting your soil’s structure is one of the simplest and most important things you can do for a healthy, productive garden!

Also called 'no-till' gardening, it preserves the soil's natural networks of beneficial microbes, worms, tiny insects, and fungi (called mycorrhizae), that turn soil into nutrient rich organic matter.

No-dig gardening is ideal for both beginners and experienced gardeners who want a low-maintenance, eco-friendly way to grow vegetables, herbs, and flowers.

Rhubarb is a delicious, tart spring vegetable often treated like fruit in recipes.

There's no shortage of Summer festivals in Colorado this year!

Plants bolt when they sense it’s time to reproduce before unfavorable conditions (like hot weather) kill them.

Identifying snake holes in your yard can be tricky, because snakes often use existing holes made by other animals.

This old garden favorite was grown at the childhood home of Thomas Jefferson, who also grew it at Monticello

Snapdragons make showy 'thrillers' (tall plants) in container gardens.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to planting a kitchen herb garden

Article: Is it better to grow herbs in pots or in the ground?

Depends on the size of the container, but you don't want to overcrowd and you also don't want the container to look sparse.

Follow the instruction on this video and you'll have a profusion of basil in no time!

In high altitude locations, potatoes are typically planted two weeks before last average frost date.

What is a 'seed' potato? Gardeners often grow potatoes from 'seed' potatoes (tubers) and not seeds. If you sit a regular potato in a cool, dark spot you'll eventually get sprouts that will pop up around the potato. Each section with a sprout can be cut into a 'seed potato' and planted. - courtesy The Spruce. Read their full article on how to plant potatoes here.

Several hardy herbs can survive or even thrive through cold winters, especially with a bit of protection.

With minimal care, colorful Ajuga creates a lush, colorful carpet in your garden while suppressing weeds

Important note:  Ajuga is in the mint family and spreads rapidly via underground runners (just like mint). It can be difficult to get rid of.  Less aggressive options are "Geneva carpet bugleweed" or the native alumroot (Heuchera americana).

This hydrangea variety is known for its ability to produce full, multi-layered flower clusters that last throughout the growing season.

Proper spacing is crucial for healthy growth, airflow, and high yields.

Grub activity, especially Billbugs and white grubs, is common in Colorado and can lead to irregular brown patches in the lawn.

Image shows what a potato looks like when blossoming.

This creative use of Amazon boxes nets quite the potato harvest!

Here's what to expect weather-wise this summer, and how to prepare

Creating a bee bath is a simple and thoughtful way to support pollinators in your garden.

By adding a bee bath to your garden, you not only help the bees stay hydrated but also support the health of your garden’s pollination system.

Spring is the best time to give peonies food for the growing season ahead